March 2011

This Issue's Bit Of Savings

Recovering lost data can be time consuming and expensive, and it's never a sure thing. To safeguard your important files, you need to maintain proper backups. At Imberi PC we offer several options for your data storage, from external hard drives to off-site backups. We can even help configure your system to automatically backup your files, so you don't have to.

10% Off All Backup Solutions

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Data Backup Solution

By Randy Imberi

How important is the information you have on your computer?

How many priceless pictures and documents are stored on your computer?

Consider this..you're on a family vacation, a once-in-a-lifetime event. You've taken hundred of pictures on your digital camera and video with your camcorder that you can't wait to share. Returning home, you upload all your pictures and movies to your home PC. The following week you prepare to file your taxes and use your PC to review your budget information and enter it into your tax forms; you receive a few new addresses and update your address book; work and personal life require you to write multiple letters that you store on your home PC. You have just stored irreplaceable items on your home PC. Now you have them forever, right?

One evening you may sit down with the intention of preparing an email to share some of those vacation photos but when you power the PC on, you get a message that says, "Files cannot be loaded. Boot error". You power the machine off and try again, this time a blue screen appears with the message, "Drive cannot be found or read".

You have just become a victim of a hard drive crash

Depending on the severity of the crash, some or even possibly all of the data may have just been lost! Are all these things easily replaced or have you just lost part of your personal life?

This can and does happen. Data loss can be in many forms such as a crashed hard drive, a computer virus, or something as simple as an accidental delete. Let's take a look at a few things you can do to protect yourself. First of all be sure you have a current and reputable antivirus software. You should also look at a way of backing up your PC files. This can be as simple as purchasing a small device called a jump drive and manually copying the files. For large volumes of data, purchasing an external hard drive would be a good choice. If your PC has room, installing an internal hard drive would be an option.

Sounds easy, right? The problem comes in knowing just what to back up and remembering to take the time to do the back-ups. Imberi PC has a solution. Along with the different types of backup devices there is also software we would be more than happy to help you with. The software will take care of all the scheduling and which files to back up. It can also be set up to just back up any files that change, which will save you a lot of storage space.

Whether you decide to do it yourself or have Imberi PC assist you, do not leave yourself vulnerable for a computer crash or data loss.

Tired Of Taking The Long Way Home? Try These Shortcut Keys Instead. (continued)

By Jonathan Imberi

If you missed last issue's article about shortcuts you can read it here. Here is this issue's continuation of Windows shortcuts:Windows Key Keyboard Shortcuts

Below is a listing of keyboard shortcuts that can be used on computers running a Microsoft Windows operating system and using a keyboard with a Windows Key. In the below list of shortcuts, the Windows key is represented by "WIN".

WIN

Pressing the Windows key alone will open the Start menu.

WIN + F1

Opens the Microsoft Windows help and support center.

WIN + F3

Opens the Advanced find window in Microsoft Outlook.

WIN + D

Brings the desktop to the top of all other windows.

WIN + M

Minimizes all windows.

WIN + Shift+ M

Undo the minimize done by WIN + M and

WIN + D.

WIN + E

Open Microsoft Explorer.

WIN + Tab

Cycle through open programs through the taskbar.

WIN + F

Display the Windows Search / Find feature.

WIN +Ctrl + F

Display the search for computers window.

WIN + R

Open the run window.

WIN+ Pause / Break

Open the system properties window.

WIN + U

Open Utility Manager.

WIN + L

Lock the computer and switch users if needed (Windows XP and above only).

WIN + P

Quickly change between monitor display types (Windows 7 only).

WIN + ⇦

Shrinks the window to 1/2 screen on the left side for side by side viewing (Windows 7 only).

WIN + ⇨

Shrinks the window to 1/2 screen on the right side for side by side viewing (Windows 7 only).

WIN + ⇧

When in the side by side viewing mode, this shortcut takes the screen back to full size (Windows 7 only).

WIN + ⇩

Minimizes the screen. Also, when in the side by side viewing mode, this shortcut takes the screen back to a minimized size (Windows 7 only).

Random Byte Of Knowledge

CAPTCHA is a program that protects websites against bots by generating and grading tests that humans can pass but current computer programs cannot. CAPTCHAs are commonly seen at the end of online forms and ask the user to enter text from a distorted image. The text in the image may be wavy, have lines through it, or may be highly irregular, making it nearly impossible for an automated program to recognize it. Of course, some CAPTCHAs are so distorted that they can be difficult for humans to recognize as well. Fortunately, most CAPTCHAs allow the user to regenerate the image if the text is too difficult to read. Some even include an auditory pronunciation feature. The term CAPTCHA (for Completely Automated Public Turing Test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) was coined in 2000 by Luis von Ahn, Manuel Blum, Nicholas Hopper and John Langford of Carnegie Mellon University.

Have A Question For Our Techs?Ask Us!Send an e-mail to SaraImberiPC.com

Ask Our Techs

Question:

What should I backup on my computer?

Answer:

Your should backup any important files that you do not want to lose such as pictures and documents as well as files that may not be as important but hard to replace such as music/MP3 files. If you use any financial software like QuickBooks or MS Money then you should backup your data file as well. You should backup anything that you don't have stored somewhere else or that cannot be easily replaced. Do not worry about backing up software because in almost all cases it has to be installed from the installation media and cannot just be copied from a backup to your computer.

Question:

What is the difference between memory and disk space?

Answer:

Memory and disk space are perhaps the most widely confused terms in the computing world. To truly comprehend how your computer works, you must first understand what memory and disk space are.

The hard drive is a spindle of magnetic discs that can hold several hundred gigabytes of data. Disk space refers to how much space you have available on your hard drive for storing files. When you save a document or install a new program, it gets stored on your hard drive. The more files you download, install, or save on your hard drive, the more it fills up.

Memory is not the same as disk space. Memory refers to the Random Access Memory (RAM) inside your computer. These are small chips that hold several memory modules side by side. Your computer uses memory (RAM) to store actively running programs on the computer, including the Operating System. For example, the Operating System's interface and other processes get loaded into memory when the computer boots up. When you open a program like Microsoft Word, it gets loaded into the computer's memory as well. When you quit the program, the memory space is freed up for other programs to utilize.

RAM can be accessed several hundred times faster than a hard drive, which is why active programs must be loaded into the RAM from the hard drive. Because most data on the hard disk does not need to get loaded into the system memory at one time, computers typically have much more disk space than memory. For example, a computer may come with a 300 GB hard drive, and only 1 GB of RAM.

So if your computer tells you that you don't have enough space to install a program, you will need delete files from your hard drive that you don't need or buy an additional hard drive. If your computer says there is not enough memory to run a certain program, you will need to upgrade your memory by buying more RAM. Knowing the difference between these two types of hardware can save you precious time and money.